Seguin superintendent gets words of support, raise

Seguin Independent School District Superintendent Irene Garza has received a raise and words of support from trustees, though they took no action to extend the term of her current contract, which expires in 2016.

Garza, superintendent there since 2005, underwent her annual performance review Tuesday amid recent public criticism over discipline and academic issues at Seguin High School.

The board spent five hours in executive session before emerging at 1:28 a.m. Wednesday with praise for Garza and a unanimous vote in support of a 1.5 percent pay boost — the same percentage raise recently granted other district employees. It will push her annual salary to $174,437 as of July 1.

“Dr. Garza is on top of everything,” Board President Louis Q. Reyes III said later. “She's done a great job.”

Garza released a statement expressing appreciation for the board's vote of confidence and pledging to work to unify the community and improve student achievement.